Satish Aditya
Motihari : Even as the water of swollen Gandak, Burhi Gandak, Lalbakeya, and Bagmati rivers, started receding gradually from
July 7, 2021, the flood situation in 75 villages under Banjariya, Sugauli, and Patahi Blocks in East Champaran District in North Bihar continues to be grim.
The turbulent Burhi Gandak, Tier, Tilawe, Sarisawa, and Dhanauti hilly rivers have kept Sugauli and Banjariya Blocks under siege for the last 15 days. The two rounds of floods have ravaged several village under these two blocks. Around 67 houses on the bank of
Burhi Gandak under Sugauli Block have been completely destroyed due to flood.
After the aerial survey of the flood affected made by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on July 6, 2021, Sanjay Agrawal, OSD, State Disaster Management Department (DMD), Adesh Tetermare, Director, State Agriculture Department, and DM, East Champaran, Shirshat Kapil Ashok, conducted aerial survey of flood hit areas of East Champaran District on July 8, 2021, to assess the damages caused to the paddy crops, paddy seedlings, roads, NH 28 A, NH 28 B, and houses.
The flood hit Blocks and localities which these senior officials covered during the survey included Motihari, Sugauli, Banjariya, Madhuban, Patahi, Chiraiya, Ramgarhwa, Chhoradano, and Tetariya blocks.
DM Shirshat Kapil Ashok, after conducting aerial survey, said that 6,12,899 lakh people of 144 villages under 9 Blocks of the district have been affected due to flood in different rivers. Around 6,539 marooned people were evacuated with the help of government agencies and NDRF till July 8, 2021. Twelve motorboats and 67 country boats have been pressed into service for rescue and relief operations. The DM further said that 229 roads in rural areas have been damaged due to flood and waterlogging and paddy seedlings were destroyed or perished on 6,880 hectares of land. The DM has demanded 17,200 quintal of paddy seeds from Bij Nigam.
Meanwhile, around 45,000 flood affected people have taken shelter at safer places mostly on NH 28, NH28A, and NH28B, with their cattle.The DM said that 39 community kitchens were running in flood hit areas since July 7, 2021.